www.925-1000.com

Hello, I wonder if someone here with far more experience than me might assist me identifying the year letter, I have spent prob 2 hours trawling through sites tonight trying to identify a loft find, at first I thought there were tin-plated things as a newb, looked straight on the bottom for any marks, and saw nothing, wasn't until took another look at them noticed there were some silver marks

So far I have first mark :-JD over WD into a shield
James Deakin & Sons -John & William Deakin-

Then THE "CROWN" OF SHEFFIELD ASSAY OFFICE

followed by lion passant (facing left) mark (London and other English Assay Offices)

then I think its a lower case "d",
which I can't really make out if it's correct from the "key" charts I found online, 2 that poss match are 1681 or 1859 ?, or I guess neither, I would hazard a guess anyone that looks at these more regularly might know straight away, so that is why I thought it might be an idea to post here, any help appreciated, thanks in advance

I dont even know what the set is meant to be really, but I know there is some other stuff up there to look at

Hello. It's Sheffield 1896. You need to use Sheffield date letter chart and not London: https://www.silvermakersmarks.co.uk/Dat ... s%20D.html

The maker's mark is correct. https://www.silvermakersmarks.co.uk/Mak ... JD.html#JD

As a general tip you should always look at the whole set of hallmarks when determining the date and not just the font of the letter. For example in London dates "d" is quite similar for several years but you can differentiate them by the duty mark (soveraign's head) or it's absence, the differences of the city mark (leopard's head with or without the crown) and the shape of the shield. https://www.silvermakersmarks.co.uk/Dat ... s%20D.html

Your boxed set comprises a sugar bowl and milk jug; there would also have been available a matching teapot and probably a hot water jug and coffee pot. And a top-end tea service might also have a paraffin (kerosene) burner and kettle.

Phil

thankyou very much, both of you, I'm finding all this stuff ver interesting, who knew there was so much to it, amazing really, once again, thankyou